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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24593230">I Will Be Your Shield</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/centreoftheselights/pseuds/centreoftheselights'>centreoftheselights</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(It's a prop not a "real" one), Alternate Universe - College/University, Arachnophobia, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Comfort, Crying From Fear, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Date gone wrong, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fun fair, Giant Spiders, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Haunted Houses, Holding Hands, Jump Scares, M/M, Panic, Phobias, Protective Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, holding someone, reassurance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:49:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24593230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/centreoftheselights/pseuds/centreoftheselights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>During their date to the Halloween fair, Roman and Patton decide to visit the Haunted House.</p>
<p>There's just one problem: <em>spiders</em>.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Royality - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo, Centreoftheselights' Bad Things Happen Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Will Be Your Shield</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>One of my <a href="https://potestessemagishomosexualitatis.tumblr.com/tagged/bad-things-happen-bingo">Bad Things Happen Bingo prompts</a>:</p>
<p>yay bingo! here's another prompt if you want it, it's ok if it takes a while to get to: tears of fear. Roman takes Patton to a haunted house as a Halloween date, but Patton gets so spooked he starts crying. Roman, ofc, takes him out immediately and says sorry and comforts him</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If you asked Roman, one of the best things about confessing his crush to Patton two weeks after term began was it meant that their third date could be at the Halloween Funfair. The college had really pulled out all the stops this year. There was so much to see and do – rides and activities and prizes, oh my!</p>
<p>First of all, everyone was in costume of course. Roman had been working on his Anna dress and wig since July, and after he had shyly asked, Patton had found a dark vest and a bobble hat, his naturally blond locks transforming him into the perfect Kristoff!</p>
<p>They had been wandering the fair for hours, trying out everything. They had ridden all the rides (Holding hands on the Ferris Wheel, and kissing at the top! Although perhaps the bumper cars hadn't been quite so romantic), played several carnival games (Roman had played the dart game until he won Patton a palm-sized stuffed dog, quickly named Spot. In return Patton's impressive apple-bobbing abilities had led to him gifting Roman with a Marie plushie so big he could barely wrap his arms around her), and drunk several cups of delicious hot apple cider to keep warm (Roman could taste it on Patton's lips every time they kissed, sweet and gently fragrant).</p>
<p>Over the course of the night, they had already run into most of their friends – they had cheered on Virgil as he gleefully eviscerated his pumpkin in the carving contest, creating a very passable Jack Skellington that won him a $15 gift voucher; Logan was currently cat-sitting Marie as he manned the CS department's “VR Horror Experience” booth; Janus was playing the Phantom of the Opera in the improv troupe's Classic Horror Villains line-up; and Roman even thought he had glimpsed his twin briefly, as a figure covered in a thin layer of green slime who charged screaming into the inflatable obstacle course.</p>
<p>(There had not, to the best of Roman's memory, been any slime on the obstacle course.)</p>
<p>Now the sky had grown dark. The fair would be closing soon, and they'd be moving into the hall for tonight's Costume Ball. But there was still one attraction they hadn't explored:</p>
<p>The Haunted House.</p>
<p>“Are you sure this is okay?” Roman asked, for at least the third time since they'd got in line.</p>
<p>“Roman!” Patton said lightly, an adorable pout on his face. “I'll be fine! I used to go round Haunted Houses as a kid, they're never <em>that</em> scary.”</p>
<p>Roman wasn't sure how true that was, but before he could object, Patton took hold of his hand and his mouth went dry.</p>
<p>“Besides,” Patton said, “how could I get scared when you're there to protect me?”</p>
<p>And well, what was Roman supposed to say to that?</p>
<p>By the time he'd regained the power of speech, the two of them were at the front of the line, and they each dropped a few dollars into the Student Union donation bucket and made their way inside, hands still clasped together tight.</p>
<p>The first few rooms were fine – a mad scientist's lab, a vampire rising from his coffin, a chainsaw-wielding murderer in a room splashed generously with red paint. Of course, they both started at the costumed actors lunging out at them, but it was nothing they couldn't handle.</p>
<p>The mirrored maze in which a pale-skinned figure appeared suddenly right behind them had made Roman shriek a little, jumping what felt like a mile in the air. The ghost gave an enigmatic wave and disappeared back into the fog, and Roman found he started laughing, sharp and relieved and a little hysterical.</p>
<p>“You okay, honey? We can take a breather for a moment.”</p>
<p>“No, I – I'm fine,” Roman insisted, trying to put on a brave face. “Let us continue!”</p>
<p>“That's the <em>spirit</em>!” Patton encouraged him. “Let's… oh, oh no.”</p>
<p>Patton suddenly took a step back, tightening his grip on Roman's hand.</p>
<p>“What's wrong?” Roman asked immediately.</p>
<p>Patton pointed ahead, silently. There, at the corner turning into the next scene, there was a large spiderweb with a plastic tarantula perched upon it.</p>
<p>“I have a confession,” Patton said, his voice wavering. “… I am <em>terribly</em> afraid of spiders.”</p>
<p>Roman puffed out his chest.</p>
<p>“Fear not!” he said, pulling Patton close. “I'll stay beside you the whole time. I will protect you to my final breath, fair prince.”</p>
<p>Patton gave him a faltering smile. “Even from creepy-crawly death-dealers?”</p>
<p>“Even from creepy-crawly death-dealers,” Roman echoed. “It's okay, Pat. It's all just pretend, remember? I'm sure there aren't any real spiders here.”</p>
<p>They made their way slowly around the corner, Roman keeping himself between Patton and the plastic spider the whole way, only to find –</p>
<p>A cave-like room strung with wispy white webs, the faint sounds of scuttling playing at the edge of their hearing. A curtain of spiderweb covered the path – Roman carefully lifted it over Patton, leading him inch-by-inch deeper into the lair.</p>
<p>“It's okay,” he murmured over and over again. “It's all pretend. Keep your eyes on me, and you'll be fine. It's okay. I –”</p>
<p>Roman started with shock as a lump on the cave wall began to writhe, moaning horribly. It was a person, swathed head-to-toe in spider webs, tied up and left here to be consumed later…</p>
<p>“What is it?” Patton whispered frantically, turning to look.</p>
<p>“No, no! It's fine.” Roman said quickly. “It's just a prop, it took me by surprise, that's – oh holy shit!”</p>
<p>Roman swore loudly, jumping back as the giant spider lurched out at him. Huge, bulbous body, spindly, waving legs, eight beady eyes and jaws opening and closing with a hideous clicking noise –</p>
<p>It scared Roman half to death. And Patton – of course Patton looked, how could he not, and he went completely still, gripping Roman's hand so tight it hurt, his shoulders shaking in a hitching spasm. For a second, Roman thought he must be hyperventilating – but then he realised the truth was even worse.</p>
<p>Patton was crying, huge wet tears streaming down his face as he trembled in mute terror.</p>
<p>“Back! Get back, don't touch him!” Roman yelled, only half-paying attention to the words as he focussed on putting himself in front of Patton, blocking the animatronic from his line of sight. “It's okay, I'm here, it can't hurt you.”</p>
<p>“R-R-R-”</p>
<p>Patton's eyes were wide and horrified, immediately searching over Roman's shoulder –</p>
<p>“It can't hurt you, just keep your eyes on me, don't look.” Roman pulled Patton close and Patton collapsed against him, clinging to his waist and pressing his face into Roman's chest.</p>
<p>“Uhh…” The figure on the wall had unfastened the “webbing” keeping them “trapped” and was peering at the couple. “Is he okay?”</p>
<p>“I think we need to leave,” Roman said softly. “Is there an exit near here?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, of course. There's one in this room,” the attendant said. “But it's…”</p>
<p>They gestured over behind the spider.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Roman said calmly. “Okay, Patton, I have an idea.”</p>
<p>He fumbled at the clasp around his neck, then swept off his pink cloak.</p>
<p>“Patty-cake? I'm going to put this over your head, and then I'll walk you out. I promise, not a single spider will touch you while you're under my care. Is that alright?”</p>
<p>After a few moments, Patton nodded slightly. Roman gently drew the cloak over Patton's head, and then began to manoeuvre them slowly towards the exit that was obscured behind the spider's mechanism, taking small and careful steps to keep Patton's vision obscured. Patton was still shaking against his chest, his breath coming in fast little gasps as Roman led him slowly out into the open air.</p>
<p>When they got outside, Roman dropped his grip on the cloak and on Patton's arm. They were well away from the bustle of the fair, around the back of a row of attractions, and the night air was cool on their faces. There was a bench nearby under a streetlamp. Patton looked so miserable, his face blotchy red and shining with tear stains, clutching Roman's cloak tight around his shoulders.</p>
<p>“I'm sorry,” he said in a small, quiet voice. “I thought I would be brave enough to handle it. But I'm just a coward and a baby –”</p>
<p>“Not another word!” Roman cut him off. “I won't stand to hear anyone talk about my boyfriend like that.”</p>
<p>“But I ruined our date! We were having such a nice night…”</p>
<p>“How can the night be ruined when you're still by my side?”</p>
<p>Roman stroked Patton's cheek, and Patton sighed and leant into the touch.</p>
<p>“I'm not mad at your for being afraid,” Roman continued. “That place was terrifying!”</p>
<p>“The Theatre department really outdid themselves…” Patton sighed.</p>
<p>“And phobias are horrible things. If there had been a room in there themed around eating carrots, I assure you our positions would be reversed! At worst, you are guilty of underestimating the power of your own emotions – and that's a mistake everyone makes sometimes.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Ro,” Patton said. His breathing was calm and steady now, but he still had a pale, pinched look to his face.</p>
<p>“Would you like me to walk you back to your dorm?” Roman offered.</p>
<p>Patton smiled weakly. “I'm not sure I'd want to be alone right now.”</p>
<p>“Then I'll stay and keep you company. As long as you need.”</p>
<p>“Roman!” Patton gasped. “You worked so hard on that dress! I couldn't make you miss the Costume Ball…”</p>
<p>Roman gave an airy laugh, trying to sound confident. To tell the truth, it hurt to think of missing the grand ball he had worked so hard for. But…</p>
<p>“Knowing that you are safe and happy is worth more to me than any prize in the world.”</p>
<p>“Aww!” Patton cooed.</p>
<p>Then, to Roman's surprise, Patton kissed him. It happened so fast he could hardly react, leaving him speechless, his face faintly pink.</p>
<p>“Thank you Roman,” Patton said, earnestly. “For saving me from the spider… for taking care of me. I – oh, if you keep acting like this, I think I might just fall in love with you.”</p>
<p>Roman's pink blush flared into an inferno of red. Patton was blushing too, neither of them sure how to react to the weight of those words.</p>
<p><em>Soon</em>, Roman thought to himself. It was too early yet to say it for real but – soon, the perfect time would come.</p>
<p>He couldn't wait.</p>
<p>“Um. I mean.” Patton pulled back a couple of inches, although he was still so close he would probably be able to hear the pounding of Roman's heart. “I think I'm good to stay and go to the party, so long as I have a little quiet time first. Is that okay?”</p>
<p>It took Roman a few seconds to remember how to speak.</p>
<p>“Of course,” he said. “Whatever you need, my prince.”</p>
<p>“In that case…” Patton smiled. “This cloak is lovely, but I have a better idea how to keep warm.”</p>
<p>He grabbed Roman's hand, pulling his arm so that it rested over Patton's shoulders. Patton lay his head on Roman's chest, close to his heart, humming happily. Their fingers were still linked, and neither one of them moved to let go.</p>
<p>And so they stayed together, listening to the distant sounds of the fair and holding each other close, while in the velvet dark of the sky above, the stars faded softly into view.</p>
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